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	Westboro Baptist Church Pickets Beth el Binah on July 9th, 2010
	The Westboro Baptist Church picketed Congregation Beth El Binah on July 9, 2010. The congregation responded by raising money for Resource Center Dallas and working with the Dallas Holocaust Museum, another Phelps-cult target. The cult began their tour of Dallas with a group of 17, more than half of them children, in downtown Dallas outside the Holocaust Museum. Every time they began to sing songs mocking the Holocaust, the counterprotesters and passing DART trains drowned them out. Once the Phelps clan left for their next picket at the Jewish Community Center, most of the counterprotesters toured the museum. According to museum president and CEO Alice Murray, they set an attendance record. Although Holocaust survivors were asked to stay home rather than be subjected to the Phelpses’ hatred, two came to deliver the message that they had lived through a lot worse than a few stupid signs. Survivor Max Glauben spoke to a standing-room-only audience about his war experiences. Survivor Mike Jacobs sold his book and walked through the exhibit chatting with visitors. The Phelps clan’s final stop was Resource Center Dallas, where they were protesting Congregation Beth El Binah. The picketers were greeted by 350 counterprotesters. Most were carrying nonsensical signs to taunt the Phelps group. Before the Phelps clan’s arrival, volunteers chalked the sidewalk across from the center in rainbow stripes and arranged with police that the rainbow-striped sidewalk would be the only place where the Phelpses would be allowed to stand.   Before the clan arrived, the Resource Center had already collected about $5,000 in donations from around the country for our “When Hell Freezes Over” counterprotest fundraiser. Despite a downpour, another $2,700 was raised during the 30 minutes the Phelps clan picketed and by Monday, almost $10,000 had poured in, setting an anti-Fred Phelps fundraising record. The fundraiser had a goal of $3,100 for a new icemaker for RCD’s nutrition program for low-income people with HIV/AIDS. The money would also be used to repair the brakes on the food pantry’s van had just gone out. Beth El Binah president Diane Litke said they’d an attendance record for a July Shabbat service and were delighted to have helped the center raise that much money. Murray said the museum collected a number of donations and gained new memberships. But she said the day was really about promoting tolerance.
	The "Hell Freezes Over" Ice Machine
	Resource Center Dallas’ new icemaker, purchased with the funds raised from the "Hell Freezes Over" fundraising counterprotest of the Westboro Baptist Church, arrived this afternoon. Once again, a big thanks to everybody who donated and showed support! Resource Center Dallas would also like to thank Caven Enterprises, Cathedral of Hope, Buffalo Wild Wings on Lemmon Ave. and Kroger on Cedar Springs Rd. for allowing us to get ice after our old machine broke. Also, special thanks to Congregation Beth El Binah for their long-standing support of the Center. We will hold a formal dedication of the machine either late next week or the week of August 9. Nearly $11.000 was raised during the “Hell Freezes Over” fundraiser. Rafael McDonnell Strategic Communications and Programs Manager, Resource Center Dallas 2701 Reagan St., Dallas, TX 75219 214-528-0144 main, 214-540-4419 direct http://www.rcdallas.org Join Resource Center Dallas on Facebook <http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dallas-TX/Resource-Center-Dallas/106610484121> ! Follow the Center on Twitter <http://twitter.com/resourcectrdal> !
	The "Hell Freezes Over" Ice Machine was Dedicated on August 6, 2010
	Read the Dallas Voice story here...

Congregation Beth el Binah | PO Box 191188 | Dallas, TX 75219 | 214-521-5342 x 1784